Marlins use long ball to outlast Nationals

May 28, 2012 - 10:35 PM
Miami, FL (Sports Network) - Giancarlo Stanton hit a two-run homer and Logan
Morrison added a solo shot to lead the Miami Marlins past the Washington
Nationals, 5-3, in the first of a three-game set.

Hanley Ramirez and Chris Coghlan each drove in a run for the Marlins, who
have won three of their last four.

Carlos Zambrano (3-3) allowed three runs on seven hits and fanned five over
six-plus innings.

Ryan Zimmerman drove in a pair of runs and Jordan Zimmermann helped his own
cause with a solo home run for the Nationals, who had a three-game winning
streak halted.

Zimmermann (3-5) took the loss after giving up four runs on eight hits over
six frames.

Washington went ahead 1-0 in the third on Zimmermann's first career home run.

Morrison tied it in the home fourth when he crushed a 2-2 fastball into the
right-field stands.

A two-RBI double from Zimmerman in the fifth gave Washington a 3-1 edge.

Miami scored three in the sixth to go ahead 4-3. Ramirez singled before
Stanton hammered his 12th homer of the season. Morrison followed with a
double, moved to third when Bryan Petersen singled and scored on Coghlan's
sacrifice fly.

"Two pitches is what it comes down to for me," said Zimmermann. "The one to
Morrison early, the solo home run, I wasn't too worried about that, it was a
pretty decent pitch. He was trying to ambush me and then got the barrel out
there. But the one to Stanton and then the one Hanley (Ramirez) kind of, you
know, two bad pitches and it cost me the game."

Washington put two on in the seventh with no outs, but Coghlan made a
spectacular sliding catch and Edward Mujica induced an inning-ending 6-4-3
double play to help the Marlins escape the threat.

"The home run by Stanton lifted the team's spirits up, and I think after that
things changed a little bit in the game," said Miami manager Ozzie Guillen. "I
think the play in left by Coghlan was huge, it was huge. If that ball lands
that changes the game completely."

Miami added an insurance run in the seventh courtesy of three hustle plays
from Jose Reyes. Reyes dropped a single in front of Ankiel but the center
fielder hesitated just long enough to allow the fleet-footed shortstop to turn
it into a double. On the next play, Omar Infante grounded out, but as soon as
Reyes saw Zimmerman fire to first he took off and slid safely into third.
Ramirez followed with a sac fly to score Reyes.

Heath bell tossed a perfect ninth to secure his eighth save.

"I thought we battled, we played a great game," said Nationals' outfielder
Steve Lombardozzi. "It's tough to come back, getting in so late last night,
but I thought we battled and we played real well."

Game Notes

Reyes extended his hitting streak to nine games...Petersen has hit safely in
six straight...Stanton has 11 home runs in May. He is one short of tying Dan
Uggla for the most in one month in Marlins history...Washington's Chad Tracy
was placed on the 15-day disabled list prior to the game. Corey Brown was
called up from Triple-A Syracuse. Jayson Werth was moved to the 60-day
disabled list.